Bedford Boer War Memorial

War Memorial, 2nd Boer War; unveiled 2nd June 1904; designed by Leon Joseph Chavillard; bronze statue on Portland stone plinth with bronze plaques.

The memorial stands in the forecourt of the Swan Hotel (Grade II*) and takes the form of a bronze statue of a soldier in full combat uniform, standing informally at ease. His left leg is forward, while both hands clasp the top of his rifle barrel, the butt resting on the ground. The soldier is raised high above pavement level by a tall plinth of classical form with deep cornice incorporating a Venetian arch, and with a moulded base. The plinth stands at the centre of a raised square platform surrounded by metal bollards, one to each corner and one to the centre of each side. On each side of the plinth is a bronze panel on which are engraved the names of the 230 men who died, recorded by rank and by regiment, and also an inscription which reads as follows:

TO THE MEMORY OF THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE BEDFORDSHIRE REGIMENTS AND OF BEDFORDSHIRE MEN SERVING IN OTHER BRANCHES OF THE IMPERIAL FORCES WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN CAMPAIGN AND WHOSE NAMES ARE HEREON RECORDED. THIS MONUMENT WAS ERECTED BY PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION IN THE COUNTY. WAR DECLARED OCTOBER 8th 1899 PEACE PROCLAIMED JUNE 1st 1902

This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 16 January 2017.